Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Watt, a 26-year-old from Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, was watching the band Arkells on Saturday at the Outdoor Stage. He’s a big fan of the Canadian group, knows their songs by heart. The usual stuff.

Then the unusual happened.

Arkells frontman Max Kerman, shouted out to the crowd during their high-energy afternoon set, “Who out there can play electric guitar?” About 30 hands went up. “Who out there can play the chords B, D and E-flat?” Only about three hands remained. One belonged to Watt. Kerman pointed him out and told him to come up on stage.

Unfazed, Watt, wearing an unbuttoned light-blue shirt, grey shorts, a purple fanny pack and sunglasses, made his way to the front of the stage, he jumped up on a speaker and then jumped up on stage. Seconds later he had a guitar around his neck.

“It was pretty awesome I don’t know how else to explain it, coolest thing,” said Watt, seemingly still a little in shock. “I was looking out at the crowd and I just decided I better look down, because I was freaking out a little bit. Left leg got a bit of a shake going. My buddies got in on video I guess, so that’s cool.”

Buy Photo

Ross Watt, a 26-year-old pulled from the crowd to play guitar during the Arkells' set Saturday at Coachella, points to the crowd.(Photo: Shad Powers/The Desert Sun)

Once he reached the stage, Watt was given a quick tutorial by the band’s actual electric guitarist Mike DeAngelis, while Kerman continued to talk to the crowd. After about 30 seconds, off they went.

A fan of Two Door Cinema Club cheers on their performance on the Coachella Stage during the first weekend of the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California on Saturday April 15, 2017. Mandatory Credit: Omar Ornelas/The Desert Sun via USA TODAY NETWORK Omar Ornelas/ The Desert Sun-USA TODAY NETWORK

Just like Courteney Cox pulled out of the crowd to dance with Bruce Springsteen in the famous video, Watt went from cheering on the Arkells with his bros one minute, to playing with the band the next.*

“To be honest, I was a little drunk so that helped with my courage,” Watt said when asked if he was nervous about going up on the stage. “I’ve played in front of a crowd before, been in a couple crappy bands, but nothing like this size. But it was easy chords and easy rhythms and I knew the song and it was all good. A non-issue.”

Buy Photo

Ross Watt smiles to the heavens while Arkells frontman Max Kerman puts his arm around Ross' shoulder Saturday at Coachella. Ross was plucked from the crowd to play guitar.(Photo: Shad Powers/The Desert Sun)

To his credit, Watt showed no nervousness on stage, bopping along with the band, throwing in a couple guitar-player flourishes, all the while with a huge smile plastered on his face. He nailed his part. He got a nice applause and left the stage, to a volley of high-fives from impressed concert-goers.

Emboldened by the once-in-a-lifetime experience, Watt had a message he wanted to pass on.

“Let all the other artists out here know if they need someone to come out and play some guitar I’m available,” he laughed.

Buy Photo

Ross Watt (right) was plucked from the crowd by Arkells frontman Max Kerman (left) to play guitar with the band Saturday at Coachella.(Photo: Shad Powers/The Desert Sun)

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misspelled the first name of Courteney Cox. The paragraph with an asterisk indicates where information has been corrected.